School is named as one of most improved in country

Sir Thomas Wharton Community College, in Tait Avenue, Edlington.

Published:11:00Tuesday 03 July 2012

A SECONDARY school has been praised for becoming one of the country’s most improved for exam results.

Sir Thomas Wharton Community College in Edlington has been named in the top 10 per cent of most improved schools across the country for GCSE results after seeing an increase of almost one-fifth of its pupils achieving five or more A* to C grade at GCSEs between 2008 and last summer.

In 2007, the number of pupils at the school who achieved five or more grade A* to C GCSEs was only 29 per cent, with the national average for that year at 46.3 per cent.

This rose to 30 per cent in the following year’s set of exams sat by 15 and 16-year-olds.

But according to last year’s results 52 per cent of pupils managed to make the top grades in five GCSE subjects, or their equivalents, only two per cent lower than the borough’s average.

The school in Tait Avenue, was named as one of the most improved by the Specialist Schools and Academies Trust (SSAT) which represent more than 5,000 education centres across the country.

Sue Williamson, chief executive officer of SSAT, said: “Sir Thomas Wharton should be congratulated for their stunning achievement in improving their GCSE results.

“It has proved itself to be one of the best schools in the country for improving GSCE outcomes for their students.

“These results are a testament to the commitment and hard work of the students, teachers and leadership team at Sir Thomas Wharton College and a vindication of their high belief in high expectations, good teaching and ambition for every young person.

The former Edlington School is currently ranked the tenth best in the town based on GCSE results, but has seen a huge improvement in the number of qualifications its pupils earn year on year.

To mark the achievement the school was presented with a certificate from the SSAT.

It is hoped it will again improve on the number of pupils achieving the highest four grades when this year’s GCSE results are released later in the summer.